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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27921145">Winter Lies &amp; Seeking Hearts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/elssiie/pseuds/elssiie'>elssiie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A little bit of angst, A lot of them - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Family Dynamics, Fluff, Humor, Misunderstandings, Romantic Comedy, ben is onto her, rey is a bad liar, they are both pining for each other thinking the other one doesn't like them, we love to see it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:09:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,225</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27921145</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/elssiie/pseuds/elssiie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey had always been a hopeless romantic. It was just her way of dealing with life. So when her Prince Charming, a man she'd never even talked to ( but who she was used to seeing every day at work) got attacked and fell in coma, Rey is somehow mistaken for his fiancee.   </p><p>Now she has to play the role in front of his family. How long will she be able to keep the farce up, especially when Ben, the brother of her beloved, follows her around with his knowing stare on her at all times, waiting for her to slip?</p><p> </p><p>Inspired by the movie While You Were Sleeping (1995)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Reylo Christmas Hallmark AU Collection</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Winter Lies &amp; Seeking Hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>The most distinctive memory of her childhood was also probably her saddest.</p><p> </p><p>She’d been sitting on the stairs of the orphanage’s main doors, sniffling and hiccupping from time to time, her arms wrapped tightly around her body. Quite a miserable picture, if you asked her now. But back then she hadn’t cared. Not even when Maz’ wrinkly hand had carefully patted her shoulder as if the old woman had been touching a doll made out of glass.</p><p>“I know this is hard, Rey. I understand.” Her voice had been soft. No one had ever spoken to her so gently and the effect it had on her was that of a healing balm, somehow calming Rey’s hurting heart, even just for a little bit. “But whoever you’re waiting for, they are not coming back. The belonging you seek is not in the past. It is ahead. There is a life out there, over these walls, and it would be an honor if you let me show it to you.”</p><p>Then little Rey had started bawling her eyes and the rest of the day was a blurring reel. But those words Maz had spoken to her, forever stayed with Rey. There wasn’t a single day when she didn’t hear them in her mind.</p><p>Here she was, remembering it again, while sitting in her workplace, head tilted forward, staring at the coffee stain on the old desk in front of her. A deep sigh pushed through her lips as she slipped the next fare token under the hole of the glass barrier, separating her from the passengers. It was the same old story. The same old movement of her hand for hours and hours. The door behind her loudly snapped as another winter breeze howled outside, making its way through the not so small crack under the doorstep, blasting coldness all around the small booth. Unpleasant shivers ran down her body and Rey wished for the thousandth time today that she was back at home with her cat, curled up in lots of blankets and with a cup of hot chocolate</p><p>But no. Here she was on Christmas. At work.</p><p>She’d sworn to herself that she would never EVER agree to do this again.</p><p><br/>What a joke.</p><p><br/>The conversation with her boss played back in her head like an annoying broken gramophone.</p><p><br/>“Oh, Rey. Good to find you here so early.” Jerry had cheerfully sung, while she’d been putting her coat on the hanger. “I have some great news for you.”</p><p><br/>“Oh, yeah?” She’d had a bad feeling about this.</p><p><br/>“I am recommending you for employee of the month!” He’d said, putting on his round glasses and pulling a torn piece of paper, that suspiciously looked like the morning newspaper. “Supervisor Jerry Wallace nominates Rey Kanata for employee of the month. Rey is never tardy, always works holidays even if she has worked a previous holiday. And because Rey worked Thanksgiving, she is willing to work Christmas too.”</p><p><br/>Rey had become irritated then. Rightfully.</p><p><br/>So she’d turned her back on him, calling behind her rather loudly, “Jerry, I am not working Christmas.”<br/>“But you’ll get a nice plaque with the mayor’s stamp on it!”</p><p><br/>“Didn’t vote last year.”</p><p><br/>“You get to ride on a float St.Paddy’s day!”</p><p><br/>“I hate parades.”</p><p><br/>“Did I mention extra holiday pay?”</p><p><br/>She’d turned around to face him.</p><p><br/>“Nope. Don’t care.”</p><p><br/>“Rey.” His tone had suddenly become serious, so she had mentally prepared herself to pull her invisible ‘strong-willed girl’ socks on and just downright refuse him once and for all. She’d opened her mouth but he had been quicker. “Violet is sick and Celeste can’t switch because she’s got some big family thing. And I promised my kids I’d be there for them this year.”</p><p><br/>“This fucking sucks, Jerry.”</p><p><br/>“I know it’s not fair and I can’t really make you do it. But, Rey you’re the only one without-”<br/>“Without family.” She finished with a steady voice.</p><p><br/>Rey had wanted to punch the pity out of his face because it didn’t matter whether he truly felt bad for her. The only thing important for him, his main goal, had been to get her to take the damn shift. And “strong-willed girl” socks on or not, she agreed to take it.</p><p><br/>Because he’d been right. She was the only one who could keep working during holidays without missing on something.</p><p><br/>Her mind flew through that awful conversation again and again, until she was sure a mental breakdown would be the appropriate ending of this day.</p><p><br/>Someone dropped the usual fare token and she took it, boredom seeping into her posture.</p><p><br/>“Hey.”</p><p><br/>Rey lifted her eyes.</p><p><br/>And there he was.</p><p><br/>Her Future Husband. Or so she liked to call him.</p><p><br/>With his square jawline, covered with the subtle shade of a beard (that surprisingly didn’t make him look ill-kept, but rather hot actually), his twinkling eyes and the most charming smile to ever grace her presence, which revealed two perfect rows of pearl-white teeth, Her Future Husband looked as if he’d just escaped from the cover of a Top Model magazine.</p><p><br/>“Merry Christmas.”</p><p><br/>Oh my god, even his voice was perfect.</p><p><br/>“Y-yeah.” She stammered, but he’d already moved forward. Rey buried her fingers in her head, slapping her forehead against her palms.</p><p><br/>Jesus Christ. Could she get any more awkward?</p><p><br/>The first time she saw him was almost a year ago, on the 12th of January to be more precise. But like who cared?</p><p><br/>All right, yes. She did.</p><p><br/>He started coming to her booth between 8:01 and 8:15 every morning, Monday through Friday, and she always looked forward to seeing him. He was just so…unreal. Her Prince Charming. The only light in her gray daily round. They had never actually spoken before, until today. She had imagined this scenario million times before and it was supposed to be perfect. Just like him.</p><p><br/>“Nice coat you have there. Very expensive looking.” She murmured in her palms. “Merry Christmas to you too. You’re beautiful. Will you marry me?”</p><p><br/>Anything, literally anything was better than the stuttering mess that came out of her. Rey growled and moved her hands off her face.</p><p><br/>She tilted her head.</p><p><br/>Was it only her or there were noises? She stood up and leaned over her desk, to see outside the booth. Three men, dressed in rugs were surrounding Her Prince Charming, one of them stroking his coat, the other grabbing the hilt of his suitcase and pulling hard. Mr. Perfect raised hands in a defensive position, trying his best to push the attackers away, but it was futile. Three on one was against his odds.</p><p><br/>Rey searched for someone, anyone to help but it was Christmas early in the morning, the flow of people had already passed away, and the station was empty. Her eyes moved back and as they landed on her Prince Charming, one of the other men pushed him and he went flying backwards onto the tracks, his body disappearing from view. Rey stifled a gasp and before she knew it, she was out of the booth, running as fast as she could. The attackers moved past her, leaving the suitcase on the ground and disappearing.</p><p><br/>She stopped at the edge of the platform and her heart thrummed with fear at the sight of him.</p><p><br/>“Oh god.”</p><p><br/>The man of her dreams was unconscious, body sprawled in the middle of the tracks, his red scarf hanging around his neck like streaming blood.</p><p><br/>“Sir. Sir. Sir.” Rey leaned over. “Are you okay? Can you get up?”</p><p><br/>She was such a dumbass. Of course he wasn’t ok, he couldn’t even open his eyelids, let alone get up. Rey went down on the tracks herself and crouched beside him, hands ghosting over his cheeks.</p><p><br/>“Sir. I need you to wake up. Are you even-”</p><p><br/>Rey lowered her head, placing a finger under his nose, and puffed in relief as a warm steady breath hit her skin.<br/>“Thank god.” She sniffed, the rich smell of his cologne hitting her nostrils. “Oh, you smell so good. Now please wake up. Please. Please. Please.”</p><p><br/>She gently brushed a dark curl, that had fallen over his forehead. From up close he was even more gorgeous, if that was even possible. “Can you hear me? Mister-”</p><p><br/>A loud, piercing sound ripped through the air and Rey lifted her head, eyes widening at the sight of the coming train.</p><p><br/>“Oh, God.” She shook his shoulders violently, not caring anymore to be gentle. “Sir. You have to wake up. Somebody help me! Sir, there’s a train coming and it’s fast. It’s a fucking express!”</p><p><br/>The train was right in front of them, the horn practically screaming at this point.</p><p><br/>“Oh, God!” Rey grabbed the front of his coat, she tangled her legs between his and pushed back. His body rolled over her, then she pushed again and again, until they were out of the tracks, mere millimeters away, as the train moved passed them, the loud breeze dishaveling her hair.</p><p><br/>Then it became quiet. Rey didn’t even know when she’d shut her eyes. Her chest raising and falling, she got up still shaken up, the knuckles of her fists white from the strong grip on the coat.</p><p><br/>Rey glanced at his face and oh, wow, his eyelids fluttered and then he was staring, his body still trapped under hers.</p><p><br/>“Hi.” She whispered in awe or in shock, or maybe in both. Hands down this was the most surreal thing ever happening to her. Maybe Christmas miracles did exist after all.</p><p><br/>His head fell back, hitting the cold ground with a loud thump. Unconscious again.</p><p><br/>The train doors opened and the usual mass of humans poured out.</p><hr/><p> </p><p><br/>And Rey had thought the train station was a busy place. The hospital was a total chaos. People were dashing back and forth and some were sitting on the waiting chairs, anxiety written on their faces. Rey ran passed a policeman, who threw her a quick glance and recognized him as the one who came to her call while she’d been waiting for the ambulance. He nodded at her, most probably wanting to talk to her. Rey lifted forefinger.<br/>Sorry, Mr. Policeman. She had to know first whether her Future Husband would be all right.</p><p><br/>Rey stopped in front of the receptionist. “Hi, excuse me. About two seconds ago a man was brought in-”<br/>“What’s his name?”</p><p><br/>“I-I don’t know.”</p><p><br/>“Miss, I need his name.”</p><p><br/>Rey turned her head, contemplating what to do, when she saw him, being carried away through one of the corridors. “He’s right there.”</p><p><br/>“But you don’t know his name?” Rey moved towards the glass doors. Behind her, the woman shouted, “Miss! Wait a-”</p><p><br/>Rey was about to push the doors open when a man in a white overall blocked her path. “Hey, you can’t go in there.”</p><p><br/>“You don’t understand, I-”</p><p><br/>“Are you his family?”</p><p><br/>“Well, no. But-”</p><p><br/>He crossed his hands and stressed on every word. “Family only.”</p><p><br/>“No, you don’t understand. I was-”</p><p><br/>He shook his head and pointed at one of the waiting chairs.</p><p><br/>“You. Wait there.” He turned around and went after the stretcher, giving commands to the other doctors, the doors closing behind him blasting air into Rey’s face as she stood alone with mouth still open from her mid-sentence that the man so rudely interrupted.</p><p><br/>Her Prince Charming was lying unconscious somewhere there and all she could do was embarrass herself. Would he be okay? Had that been the last time she would see him?</p><p><br/>She sighed and tiredly said to herself, “I was going to marry him.”</p><p><br/>Rey blinked a couple of times, trying as best as she could not to break down in front of a bunch of strangers. The patients and those working here had most probably bigger problems than her.</p><p><br/>She was just about to give up waiting in front of the doors for someone who she didn’t actually know, like a complete maniac, when a soft voice called, “Hello.”</p><p><br/>A woman with dark hair and a tentative smile, waved a hand. “I can wait for when they finish the examination and then I will get you in.”</p><p><br/>Rey stared in shock as her mind assimilated the information and then returned the smile. “That would be great.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p><br/>It took almost an hour for his medical exam to end and for the nurse, whose name Rey found out was Rose, to call her up. Rose had kindly stayed before that with Rey for 30 minutes as it turned out it had been her shift break.</p><p><br/>“Come on.” Rose said and both women moved through the corridors until they stopped in front of a room with glass walls. There laid her Mr. Perfect.</p><p><br/>Rey squeezed her jacket, palms dreading with sweat. A light touch to her back and Rose opened the door for her.</p><p>Rey went in slowly, capturing every detail of his sleeping face. He looked so calm. And beautiful. Like a marble statue. Or a prince that fell under a spell, waiting for the princess to come and save him. She sat on the stool next to the bed, never breaking her stare.</p><p><br/>“Let him hear your voice.” Rose said with a smile before leaving the room and standing outside the windows. Rey didn't actually know what to say. It felt wrong to talk to him.</p><p><br/>A minute passed by and she knew it was time to get up and leave, but she just couldn’t do it. A movement caught her eyes. The policeman from earlier was there chatting with Rose, but when he saw that he had Rey’s attention, he came in.</p><p><br/>“Excuse me, Ma’am.” He took off his hat and Rey raised her brows. What a polite fellow. “I’m sorry but I need to ask you a few questions.”</p><p><br/>Rey got up, almost tripping herself in the wheels of the stool. “Oh, okay.”</p><p><br/>“Officer, may I interrupt you?” A different doctor, much older than the rude one, came in.</p><p><br/>The policeman looked around and Rey had the feeling he was contemplating his life choices as he breathed out and gritted, “Sure. Sure. I’ll be right over there.”</p><p><br/>He stood outside next to Rose. The doctor shook hands with Rey, “I’m Dr. Rubin.”</p><p><br/>“Hi, I’m Rey.”</p><p><br/>He opened his mouth to say something else when another loud voice boomed, “WHERE IS HE?”</p><p><br/>Four people rushed in, cutting through the policeman and Rose as if they were nothing and surrounding the bed of Mr. Perfect. They were talking over one another, each words coming louder and louder from their mouths.</p><p><br/>“He looks so pale!” shouted an old lady, with an intricate braid, wrapped in a bun around her head, putting an emphasis on her gray hair.</p><p><br/>“Oh, my dear boy.” Another woman, younger looking, maybe around her fifties, held his hand and gently stroked it.</p><p><br/>“How is he?” Rey put a face to the voice which had alarmed the entire hospital with his question earlier. He was tall and thin, but despite that looking as if he could kick anyone’s ass if only they’d dared not answer his demands.</p><p><br/>The poor doctor tried to say something over the chaos that these people had brought in. “Who are you people?”</p><p><br/>“We’re his family.” The fourth person of the group shifted his stance. While the others were preoccupied with Mr. Perfect, this man stood a few steps back with a calm expression. He’s graying beard and hair were kept long and under his bushy eyebrows two blue orbs were observing everything like a hawk.</p><p><br/>“You can’t just come bursting into this unit!” The doctor raised his voice slightly and it seemed that the other three family members took that as a challenge, considering how they became even louder than before.</p><p><br/>“He is basically our son!”</p><p><br/>“Doctor, tell us what happened.”</p><p><br/>“He’ll be alright, won’t he?”</p><p><br/>The doctor lifted his hands. “He is in a coma.”</p><p><br/>“On Christmas day!” The older woman cried out as the younger one pulled her in a gentle hug.</p><p><br/>“Mother, calm down.”</p><p><br/>“His vital signs are strong.” The doctor continued. “His brain waves are good.”</p><p><br/>“Brain waves?” The younger woman, who Rey thought was probably the mother of her Prince Charming, whispered with a terrified look on her face. The older woman shrieked.</p><p><br/>“I think he’s going to get through this.” The doctor assured them.</p><p><br/>“How did this happen?”</p><p><br/>Rey cleared her throat. “Um, well. He was pushed from the platform at the Train Station.”</p><p><br/>Five heads turned towards her, unblinking. Rey put weight from one foot to the other, feeling more awkward than usual. It felt as if she were back in the orphanage, wanna-be parents walking around, judging the children and keeping an eye on the tiniest movements they made.</p><p><br/>“Who is she?” The man with the loud voice asked. Rey shrugged, ready to explain that she was practically no one, when Rose pushed her head in the room.</p><p><br/>“She is his fiancée.”</p><p><br/>Uh.</p><p><br/>Rey was what now?</p><p><br/>“His fiancée?” The mother of Mr. Perfect asked incredulously.</p><p><br/>“Yeah.”</p><p><br/>“Poe’s engaged?”</p><p><br/>Oh. So Her Prince Charming had an actual name. Poe. It suited him.</p><p><br/>Rose looked at them and then at Rey, eyes narrowing and filling with confusion. “Yeah, I thought-”</p><p><br/>“No. No. You don’t understand.” Rey shook her head. What the hell was happening?</p><p><br/>“Wait. Wait.” The loud man shouted. “Hold it.”</p><p><br/>And then a second wave of chaos erupted.</p><p><br/>“He would have told you, right?”</p><p><br/>“He should have told us, Han.”</p><p><br/>“Now. Please. “The doctor tried to stand between them but it was of no use. “Please.”</p><p><br/>“Maybe he was busy.”</p><p><br/>“Too busy not to tell me? The person he considers like a second mother?”</p><p><br/>“Leia, don’t yell at Poe. He’s in a coma.”</p><p><br/>“Luke, this isn’t the time to play referee. And I’m not yelling at him! Oh, if only Ben was here.”</p><p><br/>“Padme. Padme, are you okay?”</p><p><br/>Han, or who Rey thought to be Han from the messy argument she’d just witnessed, bent over the older woman, whose hand was clutching her shirt, more specifically the place where her heart was.</p><p><br/>“Is she okay?” The doctor asked and oh boy, he was looking as if he’d just lost a several years from his life.<br/>Grandma Padme nodded. Han, whose voice had always been the loudest, this time steadily said, “She’s got a heart problem. She’s had three attacks already.”</p><p><br/>“They weren’t attacks. They were episodes.”</p><p><br/>“Oh, mother.” Leia rubbed her forehead.</p><p><br/>Rey opened her mouth and then thought better, closing it. And just because fate loved when Rey suffered, out of nowhere the rude doctor showed up, his mouth tilted in a frown. “Excuse me, Dr. Rubin. What is she doing here?”</p><p><br/>His hand waved at her and Rey twisted her face in a grimace. Ugh, what a jerk.</p><p><br/>“Hey, buddy.” The policeman suddenly joined in to Rey’s surprise. “She saved this man’s life.”</p><p><br/>Leia’s eyes softened. “You saved Poe’s life?”</p><p><br/>“Well, yeah. Yeah, I did. But I-”</p><p><br/>“I thought he was pushed off a train platform?” Han interrupted her.</p><p><br/>“She jumped on the tracks.” The policeman explained with a strange pride in his voice, looking at her with approval. Wasn’t he annoyed at her literally minutes ago?</p><p><br/>Luke came closer to her, his eyes widening. “You jumped on the tracks?”</p><p><br/>Rey managed a quick smile. This sudden attention made her stomach tremble.</p><p><br/>“Doctor Rubin, it’s supposed to be family only.” The rude one threw her an unpleasant stare.</p><p><br/>And because the Universe had been so in her favor today, Han stepped up, looked the rude doctor from head to toe, towering over him and quietly declared, “She is family.”</p><p><br/>“She is the fiancée, you idiot.” The older doctor hushed.</p><p><br/>Okaaaay. Rey had heard enough. Her head was about to explode and she needed to end this madness right now. “Look. I-I truly am sorry. But you don’t understand. I am not-”</p><p><br/>Hands wrapped around her torso and suddenly Leia was hugging her. This unknown older woman held her tightly and Rey lost focus on her thoughts. She smelled lavender and something baked, like homemade cookies. When Leia pulled away, she said, “I am awfully sorry, my dear. We haven’t seen Poe for a long time, so we didn’t know. I’ve always wanted him to find a nice girl. And it seems he finally did.”</p><p><br/>Leia’s voice went a couple of octaves higher and she teared up. “I am so glad he found you.” She started sobbing right then and there, hugging Rey for a second time, bawling in her shoulder.</p><p><br/>This was not happening.</p><p><br/>Luke and Han each clapped a hand against Leia’s back, while also smiling brightly, joy beaming from their faces. Behind them Grandma Padme laughed in delight, her heart problem already forgotten.</p><p><br/>Oh, god.</p><hr/><p> </p><p><br/>After managing to convince the family that she just had to use the toilet and she wouldn’t run away from them because she’d been nervous to meet the in-laws or something, Jesus Christ, Rey pulled Rose in the far end of the corridor. She looked around, making sure they were alone, then turned back, feeling the crease on her forehead deepening.</p><p><br/>“Why did you say that?”</p><p><br/>Rose’s eyebrows went up, “Say what?”</p><p><br/>“I am not his fiancée.”</p><p><br/>“Then… why did you tell me that you were?”</p><p><br/>“I am not engaged.” Rey lifted her arms in defeat. “I’ve never even spoken to him!”</p><p><br/>“What?! But down-downstairs you said… you said you were going to marry him.”</p><p><br/>Rey blinked. When exactly had she-</p><p><br/>Oh. OH.</p><p><br/>She buried fingers in her hair, making a mess of it, feeling a headache coming up. “Ah, jeez. I was talking to myself.”</p><p><br/>Rose crossed her arms, “Well, girl. Next time you talk to yourself, tell yourself you’re single and end the conversation.”</p><p><br/>So now she couldn’t even dream out loud? Ugh. This was such a mess.</p><p><br/>Rose wasn’t at fault here, there was no need to get angry at her.</p><p><br/>“What am I going to do?” Rey groaned. “She-she held me so tight and I couldn’t tell her-”</p><p><br/>“I know.” Rose said with sympathy and then threw a panicked glance somewhere behind Rey.</p><p><br/>“Excuse me.” Luke’s voice called and Rey clapped her mouth shut with both palms, eyes wide open. Did he hear them? Did he know?</p><p><br/>“Is there a pharmacy in the hospital?” He asked Rose.</p><p><br/>“What do you need?”</p><p><br/>“It’s my mother. She wants, uh, nitroglycerin.”</p><p><br/>“Oh, for her heart problem.”</p><p><br/>“Problem? More like problems. She really needs to be more careful. And you know something?” He then grabbed Rey’s hands in a warm hold. “I think you saved her life today. In fact, I think you saved the whole family. Bless you.”</p><p><br/>He nodded as if this whole speech needed a confirmation for how sincere it was. Then Rose led him towards the elevator to show him where he could get the medicine from, but not before throwing Rey a look that could only be described as ‘Oh, shit!’.</p><p><br/>Rey was left alone, with a mouth half open. This was just unbelievable. How the hell was she supposed to tell them the truth now?</p><p><br/>The grandma could literally die from shock!</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p><br/>Later Rey found herself sitting in of the armchairs in the hospital’s hallway, surrounded by Poe’s family. They tried to question her about her supposed relationship with him and Rey wished the earth would just end her misery and swallow her up. She couldn’t even think about the gibberish coming out of her mouth, lies were dropping left and right, in order to satisfy their curious stares. Leia, Poe’s mother, who Rey managed to understand for herself, was actually not his real mother, but had adopted him unofficially after his family had died tragically when he’d been younger. This new information painfully pierced her chest. And then she just felt sick when a sudden satisfaction rose in her too. Maybe this gorgeous man wasn’t so different from her after all? Maybe they had more in common than she’d known? Maybe they were actually destined to be together?<br/>All these thoughts made her feel awful. The guy was in a coma, for god’s sake. For once she had to just stop being so selfish and try to think about the big picture. And the big picture was that she needed to find a way out of the mess she’d put herself into.</p><p><br/>A few more minutes of listening to their bickering, which she had to admit was actually quite endearing, she finally bid them goodbye. As she was standing up, Leia hugged her again, throwing Rey off balance. Wow. That woman had the tightest embrace. She then glanced at Han and made a weird head turn towards Rey. Han coughed, stepping forward.</p><p><br/>“Well, we didn’t actually celebrate Christmas today, did we? It would be nice if you could join us tomorrow evening.”</p><p><br/>“Oh. Awww. I-I-I would love to but I can’t.”</p><p><br/>“Ben’s gonna be there.”</p><p><br/>“That’s right!” Leia clapped hands. “You haven’t met Ben yet!”</p><p><br/>“Mmm, no, not yet.” Rey’s brows lifted. Who the hell was Ben?</p><p><br/>“Oh, he will be so happy to meet you!” Padme told her.</p><p><br/>Han opened a small pad and started writing something on it. “So you’ll come tomorrow?”</p><p><br/>“Well, I really shouldn’t because I have work the next day.”</p><p><br/>“All right, look.” He gave her the note. “Here’s our address if you change your mind. And also… here take my business card. We have a furniture manufacture company. My phone number is on there if you ever need us. Okay?”</p><p><br/>“Okay.” The smile on Rey’s face was real this time. Small, but real. These people were unrealistically kind to a literal stranger. Yet the way they all were looking at her with warmth… She hadn’t received such a look in years.</p><p>She said goodbye to them again, leaving them in the room with Poe. On the way back, while waiting for the elevator, someone’s voice called her.</p><p><br/>“Ma’am. Excuse me.” The policeman from earlier came to her, holding a box full papers, folders and other things. The man in front of her pushed the box in her arms. Behind her the elevator beeped and the doors opened. “These are your husband’s things.”</p><p><br/>Rey growled, getting tired of this whole ordeal. “He is not my husband.”</p><p><br/>The policeman’ eyes flashed with confusion but then he opened his mouth in a ‘Aha!’ expression. “Oh, sorry, ma’am. Your fiancée.”</p><p><br/>He then winked and went away rather fast, probably noticing the splenetic aura coming off her. She wanted to hit something. Hard.</p><p><br/>Just as she was going in the elevator, the stupid box in her hands, another man stopped her. She recognised him as the person who’d just come out of the elevator. “Ah. Sorry. You’re Poe’s fiancée?”</p><p><br/>Rey groaned loudly. “Ugh, okay. Yes. What now?”</p><p><br/>“Armitrage Hux.” He introduced himself. Rey needed a few seconds to assimilate that name. “A colleague of Poe at the law office.”</p><p>She really didn't care at all about that right now. She had bigger problems to worry about than shaking hands with Her Husband's colleague. “Aha. Nice to meet ya. I have to go now.”</p><p><br/>“Oh, he’s a great guy.” He said but his mouth scrunching, making the face of someone who’d just eaten a lemon as if the words physically hurt him to say them. This Hux guy was starting to get on her nerves. “ He’s had a rough year. With the accident last month and all.”</p><p><br/>The what now?</p><p><br/>“Accident?”</p><p><br/>Hux suddenly perched up, his features twisting angrily. “Well of course it was an accident! It wasn’t my- Wait. Did he tell you it was my fault? We’re playing basketball. I carry a pencil. I’m a lawyer. I do that.”</p><p><br/>“Okay, okay.”</p><p><br/>“What’s he telling people-”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The moment the keys clicked and she went in her home, turning the lights on, Rey breathed out, taking in the feeling of having the weight of the whole planet lifted off her shoulders. She dropped the box with Poe’s belongings and it hit the floor with a bang. God, she was so tired. This had been one freaky day. The freakiest day of her life actually. As she started taking her clothes off, a thought flew in her mind, that someone might have actually pranked her today. But at the end no one had come out of the corner to yell at her mockingly.<br/>Her apartment was small but cozy. The Christmas decorations and the tree with the fairy lights always brought up the memory of her Maz. It was nice at first glance. Then Rey would always look around and would stare at the dirty clothes, thrown on the chairs. The dished that needed cleaning, piling up in her sink. It was always such a mess no matter how often she had tried to bring herself to tidy up. More often than not she felt too tired to do anything about it even in the rare time when she had days off. The Christmas mood was there but the comfort from someone’s closeness was missing. She couldn’t help but think about how alone she was.</p><p>Well, almost alone. Something fluffy brushed her leg and Rey crouched, petting BB’s head. It all just felt like a dream. Like this all had happened to another person, not to her. BB purred, rubbing his head in Rey’s palm. This was what she needed after a crazy day. Peace, quiet and her cat.</p><p><br/>She didn’t know what she would do. But she would figure it out tomorrow.</p><p><br/>She snuggled on the couch with BB curling on her chest, and covered herself with her favorite blanket with daisies prints on it.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p><br/>“REY!”</p><p><br/>Someone banged on her door. Hard.</p><p><br/>“I know you’re in there, girl. Open the fuck up!”</p><p><br/>Her temple thrummed unpleasantly when the sounds became even louder. She huffed, pushing her head under the pillow in a desperate attempt to mute that annoying old asshole. Rey had told him thousand times before not to come up her door when he was drunk. Just because he was her landlord didn’t mean he had the right the harass her.</p><p><br/>The door quivered from the next banging and Rey felt the vibration from the blow even as she was lying on her couch.</p><p><br/>“Plutt, I swear to God I will call the cops!” She finally screamed back.</p><p><br/>“You said you’ll have dinner with me on Christmas, you spoiled brat! Where were you yesterday?”</p><p><br/>Not this shit again. Unkar Plutt was twice her age, he was gross and rude and a misogynist. He was also the man, who owned the apartment she was currently living in. She’d wanted to move out for months now, ever since he started making gross comments at her with sexual innuendos underneath but it turned out saving money wasn’t as easy as she’d previously thought.</p><p><br/>He banged some more while Rey pressed the pillow on her head, patiently waiting for him to tire himself out. Eventually he must have done exactly that as it finally became quiet.</p><p><br/>For most of the day she lazed around, burring her face in the blanket, slumbering for an hour, then watching bad cooking shows on TV. At first she thought it was nice to just not do anything, to go through your day aimlessly lying on your couch without a single worry. But when the clock hit 5 pm even the cat, who was the laziest creature in the world, seriously, even BB got up and started walking around the room.</p><p><br/>“What? You want a walk?”</p><p><br/>BB blinked with his large green eyes, staring at her more intensely than usual.<br/>“Okay, okay. I’ll go out.”</p><p><br/>Rey managed to dress herself and to calm the messiness her hair had turned into.</p><p><br/>She didn’t think about where she was going, her mind completely blanking, and when she found herself in front of the hospital, she surprisingly didn’t panic. His room, to her luck, was empty except for his sleeping form. Rey furrowed eyebrows and sat down next to him. He was still as beautiful as ever.</p><p><br/>“Well, I thought I should introduce myself.” It didn’t feel right to just stare at him. Maybe she could… just pour her heart out. Maybe it would help him somehow. “My name’s Rey. And I think you should know your family thinks we’re engaged. I’ve never been engaged before so this is so very…sudden to me.”</p><p><br/>She took a deep breath. “What I really came here to tell you was that I didn’t mean this to happen. I don’t know what to do. If you were awake I wouldn’t be in this mess…Oh, god, not that I blame you for being in a coma. Ugh.”</p><p><br/>Rey massaged her temple. “I just…,” she sighed. “When I was little I loved to imagine what my life would be, what I would become or what I would have when I grow older. But nobody tells you that sometimes reality can hit you hard. I guess it hit me pretty hard. Not that I complain. I-I have a steady job.” She hated it. “I have a place I can call home.” Not really. “And I have a cat.” All right, she loved BB with all her heart even when he sometimes pooped on her bed.</p><p><br/>“It’s just…I never met anybody I could laugh with. Have you -” She bit her lip, not knowing how to explain that next bit. “Have you ever been so alone that you start making up this perfect fantasy about someone you’ve never actually talked to? Because it helps you go through your day? And have you ever felt so alone you start talking incoherent things to that same person while he’s in a coma?”</p><p><br/>Rey slapped palms into the sockets of her eyes. “Jesus. What am I doing?”</p><p><br/>“You certainly know how to surprise people.” A familiar voice interrupted her dramatic speech and she jumped around, meeting the face of Luke. Her heart jumped up her throat.</p><p><br/>“Look I can explain.”</p><p><br/>He raised a hand silencing her and then stepped in. He didn’t look angry or disappointed. But he still wore an  odd expression she couldn’t quite understand.</p><p><br/>“I will tell them everything. I never intended to harm you in any way.”</p><p><br/>“I believe you.”</p><p><br/>She froze. “What?”</p><p><br/>His light blue eyes were sparkling with gentleness and a little bit of mischief. “Rey. I don’t want to swagger but I would say I’m a pretty good judge of a character. So is my sister Leia.”</p><p><br/>“So she -”</p><p><br/>“No, she doesn’t know. She knows something else though. And it is that you’re a good person.”</p><p><br/>“I’m lying to their faces. I lied to you. You don’t even know me.” Rey shook her head. “I’m going to tell them the truth today.”</p><p><br/>Luke scratched his beard.</p><p><br/>“I don’t think you should.”</p><p><br/>Rey stifled a shocked gasp. “Why?”</p><p><br/>“Our family is really something else. Poe came to us when we were going through a rough period.” Luke glanced somewhere behind Rey, looking without actually seeing the surroundings, but more like going back in time, remembering. “It was hard for him. It was hard for us but Leia couldn’t abandon him. I must confess I’m not close to him as the others are. Poe… has his faults as we all do. But the past two days have been different. His accident brought us together again. You, being his fiancée, brought us together. I don’t remember the last time I saw a genuine smile on Han and Leia, on my mother too. I mean, damn, even an old cynic like me was brought to tears yesterday. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”</p><p><br/>Rey didn’t know how to answer nor did she know how to feel at his words. It was stupid when she thought of it now but somehow she had always imagined Her Prince Charming had a perfect life. So stupid of her. Of course everyone had troubles. She wasn’t the only one with difficulties in life.</p><p><br/>But now… Rey had helped this family. She had helped Poe not only by literally saving him but by making his family happy too. Maybe there was something useful she could do today after all.</p><p><br/>She lifted her head.</p><p><br/>“I would really love to go to your dinner part tonight.” And it was true. She wanted to help them.</p><p><br/>A tiny smile curled on his lips. Then he glanced at his watch. “Well, if we don’t want to miss it, we have to go now.”</p><p><br/>“You know I have to tell them the truth eventually, right?” Rey couldn’t help but ask.</p><p><br/>“I know. And when the time comes I would do it for you. I will explain everything to them.”</p><p><br/>Rey nodded, feeling a lot lighter than the morning.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p><br/>Han had named their house “The Solo Residence” and Rey learned from Leia that it was his way of making fun of Grandma Padme’s late husband and his ridiculously lavish Manor in Alaska, which they all owned. Apparently Grandpa Anakin had been a famous writer, spewing brilliant books left and right before his passing.</p><p><br/>Rey found it ironic because “The Solo Residence” was actually quite big and lavish too. At least to her standards. Okay, so they were wealthy. But this perplexed Rey even more because the dinner was the best experience she had had for months. And that was without including the delicious food as a factor.They were all so kind and generous, asking her questions about her work and not once making fun of it. Was it a little sad that she found this uncommon? Maybe. But she had her fair share of communing with rich people and it had never been nice.</p><p>After dinner they sat around the coffee table, right in front of the large fireplace, from which sparks and warmth were coming through. They continued talking and laughing and Rey lost herself for a minute in the sweet chaos this family possessed. Sometimes they bickered, sometimes they yelled at each other, but it was never malicious or truly angry.</p><p><br/>She felt at ease with them. A strange feeling consumed her. It was as if she had known these people her whole life, as if she was at home.</p><p><br/>Leia’s voice rose and Rey turned back her attention to Han and his wife. They were talking about a woman, Zorii, who Poe at some point had been dating. And by the sound of it, the family circle wasn’t so keen about her.</p><p><br/>“All I know is this.” Han shrugged. “That woman acts too prideful and mighty.”</p><p><br/>“Well, the important thing is he has a nice girl now.”</p><p><br/>The four of them looked at Rey at the same time, with affectionate smiles on their faces. She tried not to fidget in her seat. She recalled her earlier conversation with Luke. “How do you know that?” Rey managed weakly. “We’ve only just met.”</p><p><br/>Grandma Padme leaned over, patting Rey’s hand. “Oh, we can tell, dear. You’ll fit just right in our family.”</p><p><br/>Something deep inside her core tore a little. Maybe it was her heart. Maybe it was her soul. Whatever it was it bled and pained and rejoiced. Her eyes stung and she had to blink quickly. This wasn’t fair. This whole night wasn’t fucking fair at all. It was a beautiful dream she never wanted to wake up from, because when she did, it would fling her back to a nightmare. To her lonely well-known nightmare, which she had to live through every single damn day.</p><p><br/>Hours later when Rey tried to say goodbye to them, she was stopped by Leia and Padme, who were so adamant on her staying the night over, that she couldn’t refuse them. Deep down she knew the truth though.</p><p><br/>Rey didn’t<em> want</em> to refuse them. She didn’t want the cold winter air to wake her up from her dream.</p><p>And so she stayed.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p><br/>Rey awoke from someone’s quiet talking. The light from the morning sun were coming through the windows, directly hitting the couch she was sleeping on and she had to squint her eyes. The sun had just risen up, so Rey guessed it was fairly early hours.</p><p><br/>“Shhh. You’ll wake Rey.” That was definitely Grandma Padme.</p><p><br/>“Who’s Rey?” Another voice. A male one. Deep. Soft. If Rey decided to close her eyes she would probably fall asleep to his calming timbre.</p><p><br/>“Poe’s fiancée.”</p><p><br/>“What?” The man laughed. “No, that’s not Poe’s fiancée.”</p><p><br/>Rey opened her eyes, heart beating furiously.</p><p><br/>Oh, no.</p><p><br/>“Well, if you had made the trouble to come on time for our Christmas dinner last night you would have met her by now.”</p><p><br/>“Grandma, come on. Poe doesn’t have a fiancée.”</p><p><br/>“Of course he has one, she’s right there. Rey is a really nice girl. I’m sure you’re going to like her, Ben.”</p><p><br/>“Aha.” That didn’t sound very promising. He seemed to pause and then, “You know what. I think I’ll stay for breakfast.”</p><p><br/>Shit. He knew something was up. She could feel it even if she couldn’t see him yet.</p><p><br/>Padme said something else to him and told him to got to the kitchen with her. Rey stayed motionless for a few seconds and quickly got up. She needed to get out of there before this Ben guy cornered her up.</p><p><br/>Slowly, so very slowly she stepped into the corridor and put on her shoes. Her hand reached for the handle on the main door.</p><p><br/>“Good morning.”</p><p><br/>She jumped, a tiny scream coming out of her throat before she shut her mouth of with a palm.</p><p><br/>“Jesus!” She turned around and there he was. Poe’s brother. Or not his real brother to be precise. </p><p>He was sitting on the stairs with a cup of coffee in his hands and he was… so different from Poe. Dark hair, covering his ears, broad shoulders and a pair of piercing eyes. He was tense and when he stood up, showing off that he was at least a head taller than her, he also looked a little intimidating too.</p><p><br/>“Umm. Good morning, Ben.” Her voice cracked and she flinched.</p><p><br/>He stepped up, analyzing her from head to toe. When their eyes met again, he said, “I guess I don’t remember meeting you.”</p><p><br/>There was a curiosity there, alongside his obvious suspicion. Rey had to play it good if she wanted this whole thing to work out as painlessly as possible for his family and for her too.</p><p><br/>“Well,” she replied with confidence. “That’s because we haven’t met, Ben.”</p><p><br/>“That might have something to do with it.”</p><p><br/>Was that a… Oh yes. It was a smile. The dangerous type of smile. The one that said ‘I’m onto you’. Rey gulped and they both just stared at each other. His knowing eyes reminded her of Luke, but whereas his had been kind, Ben’s were immensely intense. It was too much.</p><p><br/>A taxi’s horn broke the silence and Rey grabbed at this opportunity like a drowning man holding for a life-belt. “That’s my cab!” She almost screamed. “I have to go. I’m really late because I.. uh… I have to go but...ah…It was nice to meet you.”</p><p><br/>Then she flew out the door, not once looking back.</p>
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